10 Bands That Actually Got Better After Losing Members

In the late '60s, it seemed that Fleetwood Mac had a bit of a revolving door policy when it came to members. Having a system like that isn't totally out of question, so long as the people who are still in the group remain the center of attention. On the other hand, when the main songwriter and bandleader is the one you're having problems, you might want to consider an upgrade.

After years of having blues legend Peter Green up front, his departure led to the drafting of Bob Welch, whose jazz guitar background just didn't fit with their blues roots. As the rest of the group set up shop at Sound City Studios, drummer Mick Fleetwood found a potential replacement in one of the guitar players in an opposite studio. While Lindsey Buckingham initially agreed to be their new guitarist, he signed on as long as his girlfriend Stevie Nicks could join as well.

After a few years of flimflamming around for potential stars, these blues legends had finally found their calling with...folk rock. Yeah, rather than the blues they had prided themselves on over the years, Fleetwood Mac became known as one of the best emotional powerhouses of the '70s, with Nicks, Buckingham, and keyboardist Christine McVie each carrying equal weight as songwriters. As opposed to their tried and true formula in the early years, this dramatic shift in tone turned these bluesy rockers into one of the greatest rock acts in history.